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Definition

Alcohol use disorder is when your drinking causes serious problems in your life, yet you keep drinking. You may also need more and more alcohol to feel drunk. Stopping suddenly may cause withdrawal symptoms.

If you are concerned about your drinking, it may help to take a careful look at your alcohol use.

Symptoms

Health care providers have developed a list of symptoms that a person has to have in the past year to be diagnosed with alcohol use disorder.

Symptoms may include:

Times when you drink more or longer than you planned to.

Wanted to, or tried to, cut down or stop drinking, but could not.

Spend a lot of time and effort to get alcohol, use it, or recover from its effects.

Crave alcohol or have a strong urge to use it.

Alcohol use is causing you to miss work or school, or you do not perform as well because of drinking.

Continue to drink, even when relationships with family and friends are being harmed.

Stop taking part in activities that you used to enjoy.

While or after drinking, you get into situations that can cause you to get hurt, such as driving, using machinery, or having unsafe sex.

Keep drinking, even though you know it is making a health problem caused by alcohol worse.

Need more and more alcohol to feel its effects or to get drunk.

You get withdrawal symptoms when the effects of alcohol wear off.

Exams and Tests

Your provider will:

Examine you

Ask about your medical and family history

Ask about your alcohol use, and if you have any of the symptoms listed above

Your provider may order tests to check for health problems that are common in people who use alcohol. These tests may include:

Blood alcohol level (This shows if you have recently been drinking alcohol. It does not diagnose alcohol use disorder.)

Complete blood count

Liver function tests

Magnesium blood test

Treatment

Many people with an alcohol problem need to completely stop using alcohol. This is called abstinence. Having strong social and family support can help make it easier to quit drinking.

Some people are able to just cut back on their drinking. So even if you do not give up alcohol altogether, you may be able to drink less. This can improve your health and relationships with others. It can also help you perform better at work or school.

However, many people who drink too much find they can't just cut back. Abstinence may be the only way to manage a drinking problem.

DECIDING TO QUIT

Wool Pullover Moda winter International Boutique Sweater Like many people with an alcohol problem, you may not recognize that your drinking has gotten out of hand. An important first step is to be aware of how much you drink. It also helps to understand the health risks of alcohol.

If you decide to quit drinking, talk with your provider. Treatment involves helping you realize how much your alcohol use is harming your life and the lives those around you.

Depending on how much and how long you have been drinking, you may be at risk for alcohol withdrawal. Withdrawal can be very uncomfortable and even life threatening. If you have been drinking a lot, you should cut back or stop drinking only under the care of a provider. Talk with your provider about how to stop using alcohol.

LONG-TERM SUPPORT

Alcohol recovery or support programs can help you stop drinking completely. These programs usually offer:

Education about alcohol use and its effects

Counseling and therapy to discuss how to control your thoughts and behaviors

Physical health care

For the best chance of success, you should live with people who support your efforts to avoid alcohol. Some programs offer housing options for people with alcohol problems. Depending on your needs and the programs that are available:

You may be treated in a special recovery center (inpatient)

You may attend a program while you live at home (outpatient)

You may be prescribed medicines to help you quit. They are often used with long-term counseling or support groups. These medicines make it less likely that you will drink again or help limit the amount you drink.

Drinking may mask depression or other mood or anxiety disorders. If you have a mood disorder, it may become more noticeable when you stop drinking. Your provider will treat any mental disorders in addition to your alcohol treatment.

Support Groups

Support groups help many people who are dealing with alcohol use. Talk to your provider about a support group that might be right for you.

How well a person does depends on whether they can successfully cut back or stop drinking.

It may take several tries to stop drinking for good. If you are struggling to quit, do not give up hope. Getting treatment, if needed, along with support and encouragement from support groups and those around you can help you remain sober.

Possible Complications

Alcohol use disorder can increase your risk of many health problems, including:

Drinking alcohol while you are pregnant can lead to severe birth defects in the baby. This is called fetal alcohol syndrome. Drinking alcohol while you are breastfeeding can also cause problems for your baby.

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Talk with your provider if you or someone you know may have an alcohol problem.

Seek immediate medical care or call your local emergency number (such as 911) if you or someone you know has an alcohol problem and develops severe confusion, seizures, or bleeding.

Version Info

Ryan James Kimmel, MD, Medical Director of Hospital Psychiatry at the University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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